Sunday Has Arrived! A High Of 91 Is Expected!

Posted on Sunday, August 9, 2026 by Paul
Good Morning

Morning arrived, and the three of us shuffled into the kitchen in search of coffee—also known as liquid eye-opener, heart starter, and the only reason we don’t communicate exclusively in grunts before 9 am.

Robin had to head out early to visit her sister, since she’s her caretaker and resident superhero.  While getting ready to leave, she spotted Miss Grace quietly watching all the morning commotion from a distance—looking innocent, of course, which usually means she was either judging us or finalizing the blueprints for her next great escape.

“Yes, I am in charge!”

When Robin got in the car, she noticed the tire-pressure-low light was on—which is never the car’s way of saying, “Have a great day!”

We took a look and, sure enough, her rear passenger tire was flatter than a pancake.  On the bright side, it was only flat on the bottom, so technically it was still trying.

Robin pulled into the driveway so I could save the day with my trusty air compressor—because every hero needs a cape, and mine apparently has a hose attachment. As I inspected the tire, I spotted a suspicious little silver dot in the tread. Using my highly advanced diagnostic tool—also known as my fingernail—I discovered a nail had punctured the tire.

Thankfully, Robin was able to drive it to the local service station, where they patched it for $20.  Not bad.  Around here, that’s basically a miracle with air pressure.

A tire shop will usually:

1 Find the leak – They may spray soapy water on the tire and look for bubbles.
2 Remove the tire from the wheel – This lets them inspect the inside for hidden damage.
3 Remove the object – Nail, screw, etc.
4 Prepare the hole – They clean and slightly ream the puncture channel.
5 Buff the inside surface  – The inside of the tire around the puncture is roughened so the patch sticks.
6 Apply rubber cement/vulcanizing adhesive
7 Install a plug-patch – This is a one-piece repair: a rubber stem fills the hole, and a patch seals the inside.
8 Trim the plug – The part sticking out of the tread is cut flush.
9 Remount, inflate, and leak-test – They check it again with water/soapy water.

Oops

We went inside and walked the garden, but after determining it was already 86 degrees, we went back inside.  Mary painted whilst I worked on Bob’s birthday video.  At day’s end, the movie was 140 images long, or about 13 minutes!

Mary’s watercolor painting will be a present to Bob at his upcoming birthday party, and it will be a surprise.

Busy Bee!

Mary was happy about her recent procurement of a set of thin brushes.  Brush sizing is not fully standardized, so a 000 from one brand may be slightly different from a 000 from another brand.  For very tiny details, look for brushes labeled ” detail,” “miniature,” “spotter,” or “liner.”

It’s in the details.

By 5:00 pm we were both hungry, and someone was listening to us!  Geri, Mary’s watercolor partner and our neighbor, called and came over bringing homemade German potato salad and homemade coleslaw!   We had a glass of wine with Geri, and when she departed, we slipped outside and grabbed two ears of corn from the garden.  Marys said it was the best corn of the entire summer.  Another two degrees and it would have been popcorn!!

Corn on the cob for dinner.

While we were out in the garden, we roamed for a few minutes and saw the pumpkin is beginning to turn orange!  We can see pumpkin pie in our future.  Pumpkin pie is usually made with sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins rather than large carving pumpkins.

Common types include:

• Sugar pumpkin/pie pumpkin — small, sweet, smooth-textured flesh
• Dickinson pumpkin — widely used in canned pumpkin purée
• Baby Pam — popular for baking
• New England Pie pumpkin — classic pie variety
• Long Island Cheese pumpkin — sweet, dense flesh, good for pies

Large jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are edible, but they tend to be watery, stringy, and less sweet, so they don’t make the best pie.

The pumpkin is turning.

Back inside, Mary cooked up the corn, and we dished out some potato salad and coleslaw.  It was a delightful dinner.  After dinner, Mary returned to painting, and I cleaned up the kitchen!

Mary worked for another hour and finally said she was done.  I told her to put up the painting and her equipment and let it dry because we needed to go into the pool and she needed to let her hands rest!  There was a LOT of detailing in this painting. Maryy needed to rest her eyes and see it fresh in the morning.

Hours later!

Returning from the water at 10:00 pm, we attempted to watch a new series called Extinct.  It’ss a 2017 sci-fi series created by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston.  The premise is that an alien invasion has wiped out humanity, and hundreds of years later, selected humans are reconstituted/regenerated and returned to Earth to try to rebuild civilization and uncover what happened.

We never made it through the first episode, and when we woke up to go to bed, it was on episode three.  Thank goodness for streaming; we’ll return to the series tomorrow.

Good Night
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It Is Saturday And We Are At Work Bright And Early.

Posted on Saturday, August 8, 2026 by Paul
Good Morning

It’s 9:00 am, and we are outside working our little fingers to the bone!

I marched into the veggie garden at dawn (OK, 9 am) carrying a zucchini seedling like it was a royal baby.  Mary, meanwhile, stood beside her rose bushes with pruning shears, a leopard sunhat, and the expression of a woman prepared to negotiate with thorns.”

“We have until the thermometer hits ninety,” I announced.  “After that, we could turn into soup.”

At eighty-eight degrees, I finally planted the zucchini, patted the soil, and whispered, “Grow large, my green torpedo.”

We collected a load of green beans, some of which will be dinner tomorrow and some will be laid outside in the sun to dry out (more bean soup on the way!)

The string beans have reached too high; we needed a ladder to get them!

A bumblebee landed on Mary’s hat.  She froze.  “Don’t move,” I said.

The bee inspected her fake sunflower, judged it unworthy, and flew away.  Mary resumed trimming, but one thorn grabbed her sleeve.  She yanked free, stumbled backward, and sat directly in her wheelbarrow.

I stared.  Mary stared.  The zucchini, newly planted, seemed to stare.

Then the thermometer clicked to ninety.  “Inside,” Mary declared, water dripping from her forehead.  “Immediately.”  We were back inside at 10:14 am, door shut and AC on full blast!

Oh my, the temperature is climbing.

The remaining part of the afternoon we watched TV, and Mary made a light lunch since we were going to the Elks this evening.  Robin popped in about 4:30 pm, and we had a glass of vino before heading to the Elks at 5:20 pm.

The girls did their normal salads, but I went for the English Cut Prime Rib with a baked potato the size of Detroit, which, by the way, Mary finished off when I gave up!

The Elks menu was excellent this evening.

They had a special drink menu, and of course we tried so—the Lemon Drop Martini.   A Lemon Drop Martini is a sweet-tart vodka cocktail made with lemon juice and sugar.  It’s usually served chilled in a martini glass, often with a sugared rim.

Typical ingredients:

    • Vodka
    • Fresh lemon juice
    • Triple sec or Cointreau
    • Simple syrup or sugar

The Lemon Dop kid!

It looked so good I had to try it, so bottoms up (I am talking about the martini!)

Burp Slurp!

Mary went for the Blackberry Mule in the copper cup!  To make a drink a “mule,” you add ginger beer and lime, which are what generally make it a Mule.  She ordered it because it sounded like a sophisticated farm animal.

Mary took one sip, blinked twice, and whispered, “This tastes like a berry kicked me in the tongue.” Paul, meanwhile, was happily guarding his Lemon Drop like treasure.

Mary smiled sweetly, swapped glasses while Paul was not looking, and took a victorious gulp.  “Hey!” Paul cried.  “That’s mine!” Mary shrugged.   Consider it a public service.  Your drink needed rescuing.” Paul tasted her Mule, coughed, and nodded.  Fine.  But next time, rescue me first.” Robin laughed and admired Mary’s quick actions!

Just us having fun!

Mary’s selection of drinks gave me a chance to try new things.  Tonight’s Mule could also be used as paint remover!  I finished it off anyway!

Mary tried the Blackberry Mule.

Ronnie took the stage, and the dance music began.  Ronnie always plays a couple of waltzes just for us, so we made a few laps around the dance floor, letting our meals settle!

Then Ronnie announced that “Paul will now lead the Hokey Pokey”.  What could I do but, with the help of my trusty sidekick Mary, go to every table and enlist participants for the dance of the evening.

Ronnie had me do the Hokey Pokey this evening.

Off we went with a group of 25 “older adults” putting things in and then putting things out and then shaking them all about, followed by hands in the air, fingers shaking, and turning ourselves around.

The history of the Hokey Pokey—also known in the UK and some Commonwealth countries as the Hokey Cokey—is a little tangled, because several people and traditions claim a role in its creation.

The basic idea is simple: dancers stand in a circle, put body parts “in” and “out,” shake them, and turn around.  Similar participatory circle dances existed before the modern song, but the familiar version became popular in the mid-20th century.

In the United States, the song is often associated with Larry LaPrise, who said he helped create it in the 1940s as entertainment for skiers in Idaho.  He later recorded it with the Ram Trio, helping spread it widely.  However, other American songwriters also claimed earlier versions, and there were copyright disputes over who truly wrote it.

In the United Kingdom, the dance is usually called the Hokey Cokey.  A well-known British version was published around the 1940s and is associated with songwriter Jimmy Kennedy, though the phrase and dance may have circulated informally before that.
As for the phrase itself, its origin is uncertain.  Some have suggested links to old magic words like “hocus pocus,” while others see it as nonsense language meant to sound playful and rhythmic.

By the 1950s, the Hokey Pokey/Hokey Cokey had become a staple at children’s parties, weddings, school events, skating rinks, and community dances.  Its popularity comes from being easy, silly, and inclusive: anyone can join in, and no real dance skill is required.

So, in short: the Hokey Pokey likely grew out of older circle-dance traditions, took recognizable form in the 1940s, and became internationally popular through recordings, parties, and group events.

After a few dances, we headed home to float around in the pool under the stars and continue solving the world’s problems.

A dip in the pool was required.

After the swim, we headed to the TV Room and attempted to watch the movie “Arthur,” but alas, none of us made it without falling off to sleep.  It was a good day!  Robin was able to capture an image of Miss Grace, who graced us with her presence;  apparently she liked the movie also!

Grace is lying on the floor watching us watch TV!

Good Night
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Happy 21st Anniversary Amy & Joe!! We Will Catch Up!

Posted on Friday, August 7, 2026 by Paul
Good Morning

Today is empty!  I was out and about at 8:00 am, delivering a kitty-poo-poo to the vet and then to Home Depot to get some odds and ends.g

By the time I got home, Mary’s beans were ready to go.  These beans are special as they came right from our backyard last year.  Mary and I shelled them from several bean plants, so the beans are a good mix.

It’s a lot of work, but very satisfying to dine on your own food!

I ate my beans as my father taught me, warm on a nice piece of bread.  To make matters better, Mary brought out orange jello complete with mandarin orange slices inside.  YUMMY!!

After breakfast, Mary went into a movie that was not quite my cup of tea, so I mossied into the office and set up a small program that will randomly select a “Good Morning” image from a set of 400 that I have collected.  Now I have to put a small piece of code on every daily diary entry, and voilà, a random image pops up!

It was warm outside, so we stayed inside after 10:30 am.  Before that, we did some minor gardening activities.

Inside, we did some work with Mary going upstairs and straightening up the storage closet with my assistance.  Miss Grace wanted to go into the closet, but we shooed her away!

GO, get’um girl!

We worked until about 3:00 pm and then got ready for tonight’s dinner with the Liles, celebrating their 21st wedding anniversary!

Joe, Amy, and Alex popped in around 5:30 pm, and we visited for a bit before embarking on the long and arduous 1.5-mile journey up the mountain to the Orange County Mining Company.

Joe drove the van, which made it easy for everyone to fit comfortably and, more importantly, gave the van a rare opportunity to get out of the house and see what the rest of the world has been up to.  It seemed to appreciate the change of scenery, although it declined to comment.

After being seated, I pointed the camera toward Amy and got the “Amy Look”!  That is one order less severe than the “Mom Look!”

Amy

Joe was Joe, always fun to be with and always a story to tell!!  We talked about the past, and those things that NEVER REALLY HAPPENED were sure a lot of fun!!!

Alex was with us this evening, always a joy to be around.  Charlie is still at work at the summer camp but will return Sunday evening.  We tried to get Alex to order a tomahawk steak again, but he decided on something smaller, a baby elephant.

Alex

Alex did go for the Mud Slide dessert and polished it off with ease.  Mary and I shared the Mud Slide, but alas, we could not finish it off.

The Mud Slide could bury a small car with ease!

We enjoyed being with each other (and talking about Colleen, Robin, and Michele).  They put us at the back of the restaurant when they saw us come in.  Next time we will disguise Joe so we can get better seats!

The whole fam damily!

Time to dress up!

We dined and looked out the window, seeing the Sun slowly set in the west.  Palos Verdes is in the distance, and on a clear day, one can see downtown Los Angeles.

The Mining Company has a great spot on the hill!!

The kids headed home after a short visit, claiming they had chores to do to get ready for tomorrow — which sounded suspiciously responsible.  Amy still has some extra work to do getting her classroom ready for the first day of school on Monday, because apparently classroomsdon’tt magically organize themselves over the summer.  Rude.

92 degrees, the world’s best sleeping pill!!!

May and I, however, chose a more advanced strategy: we went VFR direct to the pool and spent a couple of hours floating around like highly qualified aquatic retirees.  At one point, I caught myself yawning mid-float, which seemed like a clear signal from my body that I had reached peak relaxation and should proceed immediately to bed before I accidentally fell asleep and became a pool noodle.

Good Night
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Hello Garden, Here We Come!!

Posted on Thursday, August 6, 2026 by Paul

We got up early and headed to the Vet because it was time for Grace’s checkup, nail trim, and a precautionary de-fleaing—just in case she’d picked up any tiny freeloaders during her two-week “outdoor retreat.”

Getting her into the carrier was less of a task and more of a full-contact Olympic event.  Grace had approximately 14 legs, no bones, and the strength of a panicked raccoon.  It took both of us, several strategic maneuvers, and possibly a small violation of the Geneva Convention.

After surviving that adventure, we came home.  We headed to the garden to plant our seven new tomato plants.  I dug the holes, added fertilizer, and planted them with the confidence of a man who knows someone else will handle the aftermath.  Mary followed behind,  cleaning up after me—which, judging by the dirt trail, scattered tools, and general crime scene appearance, was not a small assignment.

My gardening uniform that day consisted mostly of loose-fitting skin — I was apparently in training for World Naked Gardening Day and had taken the “uniform optional” policy very seriously.

Thankfully, with the strategic assistance of a tomato plant, the whole scene remained technically “G-rated.” Think National Geographic, but with more mulch.

Naturally, this was the exact moment our neighbor — who had been home for the first time in six months — decided to look over the fence and ask about watering his orange trees.  I immediately dove behind a much larger tomato bush like a startled garden gnome with legal concerns.

Mary was laughing so hard she could barely hold the camera steady. Out of nine photos, only one wasn’t blurry — and even that one may need to be sealed in a government archive.

Thank you, Mr. Tomato!

At 11:00, we were off to the Elks for the weekly “Girls’ Night Out” activity.  Great fun with the gang!  As the afternoon progressed, Mary assisted Sandee so Sandee would see, speak, or hear any evil!!

The “three wise monkeys” — see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil — are a famous symbol of moral conduct and self-discipline.

They are usually shown as:

• Mizaru — covering his eyes: see no evil
• Kikazaru — covering his ears: hear no evil
• Iwazaru — covering his mouth: speak no evil

The most famous version comes from Japan, especially a 17th-century carving at the Japanese Shrine in Nik, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu.  The monkeys are part of a larger set of carvings meant to teach life lessons.

The phrase is often linked to a Japanese proverb.

“Mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru”?  Do not see evil, do not hear evil, do not speak evil.”

Not to be outdone, Mary and Sandee recreated the image “one no at timeme”!

See no evil!

Hear no evil!

Speak no evil!

We headed home, and I took a two-hour nap, which was not so much “resting” as it was my body filing an official shutdown notice.

After I rejoined the living, we watched a little TV and then headed for the pool.  The water is still 92 degrees, even after we lowered it to 90—apparently the warm weather took that as a personal challenge.   At this point, the pool is less of a ” refreshing swim” and more of a “giant outdoorbathtub “

After getting out, we watched the rest of PanAm 108 and then went to bed.  Gracie was roaming around the house and headed upstairs when we came down the hallway.  Finally, I got a face-on photo!

During the night, I saw our hallway, family room, and living/TV room lights go on and off, which means Grace is on the prowl!  Nothing like a four-legged burglar alarm!  Who needs a random lighting timer when Grace is on duty?

“I am mad!!  You took me to the Vet this morning!!!”

At 11:00 pm, we were sound asleep!

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Mid Week Crisis Has Begun

Posted on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 by Paul

At 6:46 am, my eyelids flew open like someone had hit the garage door remote, and I launched out of bed with the grace of a startled squirrel.

Today is going to be busy—the kind of busy that makes your calendar sweat and your coffee file for overtime.  I get chills just thinking about it…  I thought about rolling over, going to sleep, and telling everyone that my electronic calendar committed hari kari!

  • Gym at 8:30 am – 10:00 am
  • Haircuts in Huntington Beach 11:30 am – 1:45 pm
  • Lunch with Mary’sfinancial advisor 2:00 pm – 3:45 pm
  • Mary has guests to go picking at 4:00 pm
  • Paul heads to Elks for an interview at 4:30 pm
  • Bob Z comes over for pre-board meeting activities at 5:30 pm
  • Starlighters Board Meeting 6:00 pm

After our workout (meaning bullied and pummeled), we managed to waddle out of the Peak Performance Palace of Horror and went to the grocery store to get some goodies for     tonight’s board meeting.  Then we went home to lick our wounds.  We had about 35 minutes to change clothes and head down the old Highway 55 to Huntington Beach for our six-week clipping.

Mary went in first, and then I followed.  My “ears lowered” took about 9 minutes, and I was declared handsome.  When Mary’s hair was under the dryer (yes, Mary was also),  I went next door to the Black Trumpet and devoured two happy hour items and a glass of wine.

Blow Gabriel Blow!!!

The Black Trumpet Bistro Tapas & Wine Bar is a family-run Mediterranean restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, located at 7041 W. Yorktown Avenue. Run by Chef Dino Ferraro, it offers French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, and Moroccan small plates, full entrees, and a curated wine list.

I was recognized immediately as I entered their establishment.  (They locked the safe and sent the women and children into the back room!)

Believe it or not, this is a stuffed jalapeño pepper — although at some point it clearly stopped being an appetizer and started applying for entrée status. The chef packed it with deer meat, cheese, and microgreens, and it was actually delicious. That said, any jalapeño that requires a knife and fork has officially gotten too big for its pepper pants.

The presentation was beautiful!

I was sitting at the bar when, all of a sudden, a beautiful young lady tapped me on the shoulder.  I was all prepared to say, “Sorry, ma’am, but I am very happily married!”  When I turned around, it was Paula.  She is beautiful, but I was safe!  Then 30 seconds later, Mary popped in from next door.

Ladies! Shall we order??

We found a table and placed our order.  I ordered tacos, and below was their answer.  It was amazingly good, but again, a tad difficult to eat since the taco shell was lettuce.

Tacos with a European flair!

Paula mentioned to the waiter that she saw some swimming attire he might like.  Without further ado, she pulled out her iPhone and showed him the image.  It frightened the guy so bad that he never returned to the table.

He never returned to our table (but I went home and bought three pairs from Amazon).

We departed the Black Trumpet at 3:05 pm and headed home, where I did a fly-by, meaning I dropped Mary off, and I headed to the Elks Lodge to attend the “investigation” of Alvaro Ruiz, whom I sponsored into the Elks.  I knew him 20 years ago, and now he works with Robin every day, so I know he is a good guy!!

Robin was going to follow me home but decided to go home directly;y, she had a long day at work!

We all dropped a few bucks into the donation center box to assist the wayward woman!!

As the Silver Fox and I were flying up Highway 55 attempting to get home before the board members arrived, we got a call from Mary saying Bob was already there.  I hit the Warp Drive Lever and further increased my chances of getting a speeding ticket.

As I arrived, the gang began showing up.

Jim, Betty, and Ed listened intently to Bob Z spewing forth a wealth of knowledge!

Will, Iris, and Vicky also participated in the meeting!

Bob conducted the meeting with skill!!

The maestro of mischief at work!

As everyone was departing, I remembered I again did NOT get a picture of us, so Vicky did the honors!

I was half in the bag by the end of the meeting!

Mary challenged me to finish off the shrimp, so I accepted like a champion.  That curly little sucker never stood a chance—one gulp and he became seafood history.

NOW, I am ready for a small glass (or bottle) of wine!

When everyone finally left, we peeled ourselves out of our clothes and made a beeline for the oversized hot tub they call a pool, where the water was still a cozy 90 degrees.  Mary handled bug patrol while I drifted around like an abandoned barge with no cargo, no captain, and absolutely no ambition.  When we began to get pruney, we carefully extracted ourselves from the water and headed to bed.

9:00 pm, time to go inside!

The “Bug Lady” was worn out, as we had been on the move for the last thirteen hours without rest!

The Bug Lady is collecting specimens

I was so relaxed, I fell asleep on the way to the pillow!

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Today Was Painting Day!

Posted on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 by Paul

We were up and going around 6:00 am, as today is 1) get-ready-for-the-board-meeting day and 2) watercolor painting day!

I got on a roll and got out all my shoes, ALL 24 PAIRS.  Oh my, I might be a girl!   All I need is about five pairs!  I need formal dress shoes (tuxedo), dancing shoes, leather dress shoes, two pairs of tennis shoes, and that’s it!   Someone at the Salvation Army is going to be happy!!

We worked around the house until 11:00 am and then got ready for Mary’s weekly painting class.  I dropped her off at 12:30 pm and then headed home for a few minutes before doing my errands:

  1. Filled up the tank on the Silver Fox; it was running on fumes!
  2. Stopped at the bank and refilled my wallet, which was down to $3!
  3. Did a Del Taco run and got a taco and a small Diet Coke
  4. Stopped by the cleaners to drop off two of Mary’s blouses

Then it was off to pick up her nibs at the seniors center.  Mary was into swamps today!

Knowing that she loves frogs, I used my magic and added two additional friends to her painting.  Snoop Frogg and Captain Croak were added to the masterpiece.

On the way home, we made a strategic stop at the post office to mail a letter to the IRS, with whom we are currently engaged in a spirited game of financial dodgeball.  We dropped it in the slot and hoped it would find its way to the one person there having a good day.

Once home, we checked on the kitty—who, as usual, had been managing the household with complete indifference—then headed back out on an important expedition to Home Depot, also known as the place where”we only need one thing” goes to die.

We picked up a few more solar-powered LED walkway lights for the backyard, and now every planter has one.  At this point, the yard is better lit than some airport runways.  We also bought a new handle for Mary’s favorite rake, because apparently even garden tools get hip replacements, and seven new tomato plants, which will be going into the ground early tomorrow morning—assuming they don’t unionize overnight.

Then it was back home for the rest of the day.  Mary went VFR to the kitchen and successfully scrounged up a delightful dinner of corned beef and cabbage with a homemade cucumber salad.  Meanwhile, I performed the highly technical task of unloading the car and putting away our purchases without losing any receipts, tools, or dignity.

The new lamps were installed quickly so we could watch them come on as the sun set.  Sure enough, as darkness fell, the backyard began to glow proudly—like a tiny solar-powered Las Vegas, but with more tomatoes.

The west wall is now quite bright.

The center wall in the backyard is lit up like a Christmas tree!

We went into the pool for about two hours and watched the lights and the stars!

After drying off, we watched the rest of Comanche, a 1958 shoot ’em up.  Summary:  Released in March 1956 and directed by George Sherman, Comanche is a CinemaScope Western starring Dana Andrews as frontier scout Jim Read.  Read tries to broker a peaceful treaty between the U.S. government and Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, but renegade faction leaders and a bigoted government commissioner constantly sabotage their efforts.

Mary crashed directly after the movie while I stayed up and finished off the Daily Diary.  As I took pictures of my lighting handiwork, I found Grace in the Family Room contemplating a run for the back door.  I stopped her in her tracks!

“I will escape again, I will!!”

I returned to the office, powered down the computer, and went to bed at 11:30 pm.

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Monday, We Start All Over Again! (This Is My 4,260th Monday)

Posted on Monday, August 3, 2026 by Paul

I checked, and this is Mary’s 3,872nd Monday!  Therefore, I am ahead by 388 Mondays.

We had our coffee, put on our workout clothes, and bravely prepared ourselves for the weekly torture chamber.

Yes, it’s Monday—which means we voluntarily drive to Peak Performance and pay actual money for someone to bend, stretch, lift, and twist us into human pretzels with joint pain.

I found myself daydreaming about being young again—walking into a fitness center full of energy and walking out feeling strong, refreshed, and completely pain-free.

My goodness… can you imagine?  Leaving a workout without making noises like an old screen door.  What a magical time that must have been.

Me, 64 years ago, when I had hair and a body that did not ache!

After the workout, we wandered into the market next door for “mandatory groceries” — because apparently scones are now considered essential supplies.  Five bags and one suspiciously small watermelon later, we headed home victorious.

I heroically carried the bags from the car to the kitchen, where we formed a highly efficient grocery-putting-away task force.  Honestly, we make a great team — part fitness duo, part snack logistics department.

We invited Dianne over to join us in a terrific lunch; Mary was at her best.  Mary and Dianne had plans to rob the purse store in La Habra just like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, so having lunch was a good way to prepare for the adventure.

The sandwich used the goodies from Sunday’s adventure at Old World.

After lunch, the girls launched a highly classified mission to La Habra Fashion Mall to secure essential survival supplies: makeup, purses, and whatever else national security required.

I bravely stayed behind on the home front, where I tackled the dishes, spray-sealed Mary’s latest art masterpiece, and prepped the next batch of outdoor items for painting.

And yes, Mary left me a “to-do ” list—because apparently even in peacetime, I report to command.

Not exactly Blue Boy but a close resemblance!

His girlfriend has her Teddy Bear and is being followed by Scout the Wonder Dog.

Mary gets more and more artistic every time she picks up a brush!

When the girls returned home, they headed for the garden to go picking.  Dianne, being Italian, can always use tomatoes, and at this time of the summer, there could be other surprises lying in wait.

I asked if she were a bag lady.

Bag lady” usually means one of two things, depending on context:

  1. Old-fashioned/slang term for a homeless woman.  It often refers to a woman who carries her belongings in bags.  This usage can sound dated, insensitive, or insulting, so it’s best avoided.
  2. Playful term for someone who loves bags/purses?  In a lighthearted context, someone might say “she’s a bag lady,” meaning she collects or really likes handbags, tote bags, purses, etc.

The string beans are going full tilt.  “Going full tilt” means doing something with maximum speed, energy, or effort.  The beans must be picked, or the plant will cease to produce new fruit. 

Green beans are fascinating vegetables with unique names, colorful varieties, and a surprising history.  They are also known as snap beans or string beans, and they rank as the third most popular home-garden vegetable in the U.S.

You can almost hear them say, “Pick me!  Pick me!”

We have a second crop of grapes about to be ready to pick.  If you look carefully on the left-hand side, hidden in the share are grapes ready to pick!

They’re commonly used in dishes like dolmas/dolmades, where the leaves are stuffed with rice, herbs, meat, or vegetables.

The staff at Peak Performance love our grape leaves.

We have a new batch of tomatoes planted and are becoming of age; this is one of three plants remaining from the early planting session!

The orange fruit at the bottom is “lunchbox peppers.”

They’re called “lunchbox” peppers because they’re easy to pack as a snack.  They are:

• Sweet and mild, not spicy
• Usually eaten raw, roasted, grilled, or stuffed
• Great for kids’ lunches, salads, dips, and snacks
• Smaller than regular bell peppers, with thin walls and few seeds

They’re basically mini sweet peppers marketed as a convenient snack pepper.

The bitter melons are ripening.  Ripe bitter melons are usually yellow to orange.
As they ripen, they change from green to yellow/orange, and the inside becomes bright red around the seeds.  At this stage they are softer and much more bitter, and the fruit may split open.

The bitter melons make a pretty vine!

What is the best way to eat bitter melon? The best way to eat bitter melon is to prep it properly to reduce its strong taste, then stir-fry it with eggs, garlic, and savory sauces.

The red seeds and white pith must be removed!

How to Reduce the Bitterness

Scrape the inside: Cut the melon in half, scoop out all the seeds, and thoroughly scrape away the white spongy inner pith, which holds most of the bitter flavor.

Salt and squeeze: Slice the melon thin, mix it with salt, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.  Squeeze out the liquid and rinse it with water to wash away the harsh juices.

Best Cooking Method

Stir-fry with eggs: Cook garlic in a hot pan, add the prepped bitter melon, and pour beaten eggs over it so the egg wraps around the slices to balance the flavor.

Mary and I did NOT have dinner, as those sandwiches filled us up.  I played with the kitty for a while, enticing her with cat treats!

After Dianne departed, we worked around the house.  Grace was playing coy today and did not follow us around, so I came to her.   Little does she know how much energy it takes to get mt frail carcass into the standing position once horizontal!  Mary offered to call the local crane company.

Grace is under the table looking at me, thinking, “What is this hooman doing?”

No dinner tonight; the sandwiches were quite filling.  We went to the pool and floated around for quite a while before hitting the sack at 10:00 pm.

The Sun kept the pool at 94 degrees!

We have two duck thermometers, and these little guys have a love affair going on; they are always together.  I think they ought to be named George and Gracie or Lucy and Desi or Deann & Phyllis.  The names are still up for grabs.

Sometimes they hide by the filter.

We cannot figure out why they need ear muffs when the water is 94… perhaps they are headphones

Get a room!!!!

Mary had her work cut out for her.  She keeps the pool spotless by removing the debris from the water (that does NOT include me).  Small insects can get stuck on the water’s surface and can’t break free because of the surface tension.

Her smile brightens up the evening!!

We managed to get out of the water at 10:00 pm, looked at each other, and decided no TV tonight!  We went VFR to bed, where I slept for seven hours straight.

Oh, I did brush my teeth!  See below!

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It’s The Tooth Of August!

Posted on Sunday, August 2, 2026 by Paul

Never a dull moment in this household.  Today we went to Old World in Huntington Beach for a German festival.  I got all dressed up in my Lederhosen and off we went!  Mary tried to put on her dirndl, but alas, the closet elves had taken the clothes and tightened the seams!  So, we are going to the Dirndl Shop, and we are going to find one that fits and hide it from those pesky closet elves.

• “Lederhosen” means “leather trousers” in German.

• They were originally workwear for farmers, hunters, and laborers in Alpine regions.

• Lederhosen are strongly associated with Bavaria, but they’re also found in parts of Austria, Switzerland, and South Tyrol.

• Traditional Lederhosen are often made from deer, goat, or cow leather.

• The decorative stitching is called embroidery, and designs can show regional identity.

• They’re often worn with suspenders, a checked shirt, wool socks, and sturdy shoes called Haferlschuhe.

• Lederhosen became fashionable among nobility in the 19th century, especially thanks to romanticized Alpine culture.

• At Oktoberfest, Lederhosen are common festive clothing, but not everyone in Bavaria wears them daily.

• Short Lederhosen are called kurze Lederhosen, while knee-length ones are often called Kniebundhosen.

• The female counterpart often seen at festivals is the dirndl, though historically it began as servant or rural clothing.

Fun fact: Real leather lederhosen are often considered better when they look worn-in, not brand new.

Right before we departed, Mary found a dirndl that was not attacked by the closet critters, and we departed at 10:25 am!

Through the woods we go to celebrate something?

We arrived around 11:00 am, and the parking was pretty easy.  We headed to the Dirndl Haus so Marcould findne a new outfit.  She found several, but there were four ladies ahead of us, and they were S-L-O-W, so we decided to eat and come back!

The Dirndl Haus lived up to its name!

Floor-to-ceilingclothes!

I went for the Sausage Trio (Nürnberger, Polish, & Arrogant mini bratwursts served on a bed of sauerkraut) and Beef Goulash Soup (Tri-tip, onions, bell peppers, carrots & potatoes).

Mary knew what she wanted: Schnitzel Wiener Art (Viennese-style schnitzel served with a lemon wedge).

We had a bottle of vino and then did some dessert!  Apple strudel comes from Austria and is especially associated with Vienna.

Its roots go back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the thin layered pastry style was influenced by Turkish baklava.  The classic version is called Apfelstrudel in German.

I went off the rails and ordered a German Chocolate Cake and washed it down with wine!  The combined taste was surprising.

The commonly edible marigolds are calendula (Calendula officinalis), often called pot marigold.  Its petals are used in salads, soups, rice, butter, and teas, and they have a slightly peppery or tangy flavor.

Yes, the flowers were edible.

We went to the main event for a while before dropping by the deli to pick up some German cheese and some sugar cones needed for the holidays!

Arriving back at Casa Valencia, I worked on the website while Mary continued painting the yard decorations!

Mary painted until almost 11:00 om and then we crashed!

Posted in Art, Dining Out, Fun, Working Around House | Comments Off on It’s The Tooth Of August!

August Has arrived!

Posted on Saturday, August 1, 2026 by Paul

It was in the 90s again today!  We pretty much stayed inside working in the office.  Mary continued painting the garden gnomes while I worked on the website.  Today, I finished off our March 2026 trip to Hawaii, where we met up with Megan and watched her gymnastics meet.

I got a call from Joe asking about the diameter of the flagpole.  We are going to move it from the garden and put it on the concrete patio in the front yard, making it easier to change flags.  Joe is very clever, and since he was going to the OC Fair today, we planned to stop by the flagpole booth and get a ground-mounting sleeve.  He called, and I went outside and measured the diameter of the bottom tube.

The flagpole is not exactly vertical right now; it leans after we had to do some digging to get to the sewer pipe about two years ago.

I got out my micrometer, and it indicated the pole was exactly 1.4925 inches in diameter!

It is wonderful to have the proper tools when needed.

The rest of the afternoon we spent in the office.

On this hot Saturday evening, the kind where even the squirrels looked tired, Mary and I met up with Donna and Bob for Donna’s birthday dinner at Renata’s Italian Bistro.

We dined on the patio, and there was a nice breeze.

“Are we dressed fancy enough?” Bob asked, wearing his best golf shirt.

“You look like a vacation brochure,” Donna said.

Renata’s was packed, warm, and smelled like garlic, tomatoes, and happiness.  I immediately announced, “I’m only having something light,” then ordered today’s special and added garlic bread and “a little salad for health.”

Mary gave me a look.  “The salad is decorative at this point.”

Donna was treated like royalty by the waiter, who brought her a birthday candle to make sure she could eat it with a scoop of spumoni ice cream.  Unfortunately, the candle began melting sideways in the heat, and Bob tried to blow it out from across the table, accidentally adding candle wax to the side of Mary’s glass of wine.

“Nice aim,” Mary said.

After dinner, Donna opened her presents.  Mary selected the presents, all with some relationship to roosters, Donna’s favorite animal! 

I was going to give her a mystery box I wrapped myself using Christmas paper and duct tape, but Mary nixed that idea.

Donna dug to the bottom of the gift bag and found a kitchen gadget nobody could identify.

“What is it?” she asked.

Bob squinted.  “I was hoping you’d know.”

I examined the item (a small shovel with a wine bottle attached), which I had picked for Donna, and said, “Could be for shoveling pasta,  could be for catching leaks while plumbing, or could be for collecting rooster poop.”

Donna laughed so hard she nearly dropped her spumoni.

By the end of the evening, everyone was full, sticky from the heat, and smiling.  Donna declared it a perfect birthday.

“Good food, good friends, and one possibly useful object,” she said.

The spumoni is so big, it needs to be shared.

Then the owner came by and led the restaurant in a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday!

The cake is going home tonight!!

We had a good time being with great friends.

Love birds after almost 47 years together!

On the way out, Bob and I accosted a large group and asked if anyone knew Sheriff John and the song “O Put Another Candle On Your Birthday Cake?”  Two old farts, about our age, said they remembered.  So Bob and I, plus two guys, treated their table to a full-length non-stop chorus of the song!  The youngsters looked at us as if we were crazy!  “Who is Sheriff John?”

Remember, this video is 70 years old (before color TV existed).

It was still light out when we headed home.  Mary fed Grace, and as she was busy eating, we hit the pool.

We stayed in until the Sun set and the moon was up!

At 10:30 pm we crashed!

Posted in Dining Out, Friends, Fun | Comments Off on August Has arrived!

The Week Is Almost Gone

Posted on Friday, July 31, 2026 by Paul

Mary, Robin, and I wandered out to the garden for a little harvesting adventure.  Afterward, we collapsed around the breakfast room table to recover from all that strenuous vegetable wrangling.  That’s when we spotted a very strange-looking creature shuffling past the kitchen window.  It was quite ugly, with a peculiar gait that suggested either a zombie… or someone who hadn’t had their morning coffee.

We were not afraid since Robin went into the phone booth and changed into her Supergirl outfit.

The creature turned, opened the door, and proudly announced itself.

It was our son, Joseph!

What a surprise!  He had stopped by to rescue the new iMac that had been serving as a very expensive decoration in its box for the past month.  Within minutes, cables were everywhere, screens were glowing, and he had started the data transfer process.

Then it happened.

Joseph began speaking what sounded suspiciously like ancient computer wizardry.  Once the technical incantations started, we figured our presence was no longer required.  We quietly escaped and headed to Peak Performance for our twice-a-week workout.  We were dressed in our Nija outfits.

For the next hour, we were stretched, twisted, bent, folded, and generally reminded that muscles exist in places we never knew about.  By the time we staggered out, we could summarize the entire workout with one simple word:

OUCH!!!

Hopefully, by the time we can walk normally again, the new iMac will have finished transferring our files… and Joseph will have translated whatever language he was speaking.

When we returned home, both iMacs were smoking with data being transferred at the speed of light.

Mary went to the office and started painting with girl and boy statues.  When Mary starts painting,g she really gets into it!  I need to buy her a bidet to wear.

Even Grace goes into the act!!

While Mary painted, I visited “kitty jail”, the place Grace is staying while she gets readjusted to living inside the house after two weeks running wild outside!  I provided her a treat, and she responded by rubbing my leg and purring!

Grace really wants out of “Kitty Jail”, maybe tomorrow?

At 5:15 pm we headed to Vittorio’s Italian Bistro in Huntington Beach to have dinner with the Capps and perhaps a little dancing?  You never know!

Posted in Dining Out, Gym | Comments Off on The Week Is Almost Gone